Stranded at the airport

It's a risk every air traveler faces.

Maybe your return flight gets delayed for hours before being canceled; maybe you're on an incoming flight that arrives too late for you to make the last connection out; maybe a storm shuts down the airport.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the incidence of both delayed and canceled flights is rising for the 20 domestic airlines that report their performance to the federal agency.

With more local travelers taking flights that involve connections, cancellations are an increasing concern, especially with the approach of winter weather. While your odds of being stranded overnight are small, it's a bigger problem these days because cash-strapped carriers have been trimming the assistance they provide for passengers in these situations.

What to do?

First, realize that no airline guarantees its flight schedule or accepts responsibility for any consequences caused by most delays or cancellations. Furthermore, there are no federally mandated guarantees about passenger amenities in these situations. Each airline is free to establish its own protocols of what it will and won't do for its delayed ticketed travelers. These conditions are spelled out in the carrier's contract of carriage, a lengthy document which can be found on its Web site.

US Airways, for example, is in the process of revising its contract of carriage to reflect its merger with America West. Until then, the applicable rules may depend on which carrier is operating the flight you're on.

Furthermore, the rules about what you can expect in cancellations can change if your connecting itinerary includes flights that involve a carrier's code-share partner, other non-affiliated airlines or international destinations. In some cases, compensation can even depend on where and how you bought your ticket. For example, deeply discounted tickets purchased from consolidators or resellers may not have the same guarantees as regular tickets.

In cases of passengers stranded overnight, the reason for the flight's delay or cancellation also dramatically affects the assistance and compensation any airline will provide.

When most domestic flights are cancelled for reasons within the carrier's control, such as maintenance, equipment or staffing problems, and passengers are stranded overnight, most carriers will help them find accommodations. (Contrary to popular notions, airlines almost never cancel flights at last minute for "economic reasons," such as a lack of passengers. They do adjust their schedules for economic reasons, but it's done far enough in advance to reassign aircraft and advise passengers before their travel date. That's why it's wise to give the airline some way to contact you at your destination and always to reconfirm your flight's status before heading to the airport.)

In these circumstances, US Airways says it will provide affected passengers with a hotel room (based on availability) along with ground transportation from and to the airport, meal vouchers and, if a passenger's checked luggage is inaccessible, up to $25 per night for incidentals and toiletries, reimbursable upon presentation of receipts.

But if the cause for the cancellation is considered a force majeure, or factor beyond the airline's control -- bad weather, air traffic control problems, security issues or terrorism acts or labor strikes -- passengers are more or less on their own.

In these situations, the most you can expect from the airline is help rebooking on the next available flight (on US Airways or another carrier) and a list of hotels and motels that offer "distressed rates." It will be your responsibility to book, reach and pay for the room. Your other option is to look for a quiet corner in the airport and try to get some sleep.

In either case, don't hesitate asking for assistance. Although airline gate agents are generally required to follow established protocols, they do have some latitude, especially in "extenuating" circumstances. If you believe you are entitled to help, be firm in asking, but keep your temper and sense of politeness.

If you don't think you're getting what you're entitled to, try citing "Rule 240." This stipulation from pre-deregulation days required carriers to provide a variety of passenger support services. Although it is no longer officially in effect, the spirit of the regulation has lingered, especially among legacy carriers. If nothing else, it will demonstrate that you're a savvy traveler.

Another option is to buy trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which, among other protections, provides financial compensation if flight changes cause you to incur unanticipated expenses.

In the final analysis, however, the best advice is always to expect the unexpected. Easy to say; hard to do.